Mingus Mt Labor Day Fly-In

Steve90266 · Post by **Steve90266** » Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:12 am

I'm heading out to Mingus Mountain, Arizona for their annual fly-in.

I'm planning on leaving either Thursday morning, the 30th of August or Friday the 31st if other pilots want to go with. It's a 10 hour drive, but worth it. Beautiful camp grounds right there at launch (7,815 ft), climbs to 15K and 20 mile flights are common. Let me know if you want to go with!

[/url]http://www.azhpa.org/index.php?option=c ... id=219[url]

OP · Post by OP » Thu Aug 09, 2012 1:48 pm

What kind of dingus would want to fly Mingus?

I'm in. Even if I can't fly by then, I can chase. Let me see if work will give me the time off.

Steve90266 · Post by **Steve90266** » Thu Aug 09, 2012 4:03 pm

Skills! Now let's see if we can talk Max and Richard into it. It's going to be AWESOME!

Don · Post by **Don** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:27 am

Thinking of going. Maybe leave mid-day thursday.

OP · Post by OP » Fri Aug 10, 2012 9:24 am

http://goo.gl/maps/dOZ7N

More like 8 hours each way, maybe 9 if you make a lot of stops.

max · Post by **max** » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:02 pm

It's about 15 hours if you take Steve's international truck.

Don · Post by **Don** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:20 pm

The biggest problem with Mingus is the East facing launch with a prevailing West wind. I have stood on launch twice and had the wind change. The locals said they monitor the site below - if the wind is less that 10mph from the West at 11AM - then most likely the thermals will overpower the prevailing wind and there will be launch windows. Just something to watch - if it is predicted to be a stronger West then consider cancelling your trip or have alternative local plans for the weekend - hike, etc.

http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/ ... C&state=AZ

Steve90266 · Post by **Steve90266** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 4:23 pm

The secret to launching Mingus is to watch the flags, which are posted everywhere leading up to launch, off to the sides of launch, and in the trees behind launch. The most telling are the ones behind launch, which give you the first indications of a wind shift and a "blowing down" condition.

Mingus is a late morning launch site. Have your glider set up by 10 and be ready to launch between around 10AM and 1PM. Once launched, you can usually find lift at the house thermal, located to the left side of launch.

I was there for two days on the fourth of July. The first day I arrived too late. Everyone was getting to around 15K, but it was already blowing down for the day. Some guys went over the back and landed at the fair grounds, about 40 miles away, in Prescott. Others soared the valley for a few hours and landed in the standard LZ, known as Cottonwood.

Hope to see some of you guys there!

Steve90266 · Post by **Steve90266** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:56 am

Awesome flying Friday, rain Saturday, another over the top day Sunday, with thermals to cloud base at 10,500. Tasks got postponed to Sunday, but most people were having too much fun flying around the clouds to pay much attention.

Don Banas made the drive out in 7 hrs and 3 minutes. He had some great flights too.

Crestline had 12 people show up and created their own little mini-village within the camp site. Pot luck on Saturday night, great camping and hiking, and of course-the flying was epic. All in all, a great trip.

Sylmar Hang Gliding Association